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Digitalis when flowering done

yorkiethorntonyorkiethornton Posts: 100
in Plants
When digitalis have finished flowering what do you do with the stems? Cut back, leave or something else? Thanks.
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    You can cut down in the hope of some more flowers ... but they're never very spectacular ... I usually leave the seeds to ripen and when they begin to open I cut the stems and swish them around the borders scattering seed in areas where I want more foxgloves in the future. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I used to leave some on for seeds but they invariably grow back next year with wild pink colour, now I leave one or two and grow fresh bought seeds every year.  I pull the whole lot our of the ground. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I have some packets of fresh FG seed (as well as some plants now going over) and I was wondering if it's a daft time to sow the packet now. The forecast is so entirely dry. If it rains a little and then is dry again, might the seeds not germinate and then die?
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    @Fire..........I planted some biennials a couple of weeks ago, no sign of germination, probably too hot.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Sowed mine a couple of weeks  ago and they’re up, just sprinke on top of the compost, don’t cover with anything just press in, keep just damp and out of full sun, having said that, mine are in the conservatory. 
    Soon they will drop off the plants in the garden and lay dormant until next spring, then they’ll be everywhere.  

    Little tip, don’t sow the whole packet, there are thousands  in there. 😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    I pull out the pink ones before they set seed and leave the white ones. Regardless of this, I have had pink foxgloves in the garden for years. The pink seed must lie dormant for years and then pop up every so often to annoy me!
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Or do some of the white ones turn? 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I saw hoping to direct sow as I am currently rather swamped with seedlings in pots.
  • a1154a1154 Posts: 1,108
    Seed from white ones doesn’t come white, according to Monty (so it must be true).
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I love the pink ones as well as the white ones  <3

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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